Australian Olympic 50m freestyle champion Cam McEvoy and wife Maddi welcome first baby

Australian Olympic 50m freestyle champion Cam McEvoy has welcomed his first child into the world with his wife Maddi giving birth to their son.

Cam McEvoy has become a father for the first time.

Olympic champion Cam McEvoy has welcomed his first child into the world with his wife Maddi giving birth to their son, Hartley, last week.

The 31-year-old swimmer is currently preparing for the World Championships in Singapore later this month, but was by his wife’s side for the moment.

The pair shared the news on social media on Monday afternoon.

“We walked into the hospital at 4pm, not knowing we were just hours away from meeting our son,” McEvoy said in the post on Instagram.

Cam McEvoy celebrates winning the 50m freestyle at the Paris Olympics. Picture: Michael Klein

“Maddi was so calm that everyone in the room was shocked when they found out she was 8cm dilated. We had a well thought out birthing plan because of Maddi’s heart which basically involved as little pain as possible to keep her heart rate down.

“But Hartley seemed to have different plans. Before we knew it, he was earth side in our hands before 7pm.”

Maddi was born with a pulmonary valve defect and, as a result, has required four open-heart surgeries, including a replacement pulmonary valve when she was 17. But despite Hartley’s quicker-than-expected arrival, McEvoy confirmed that the delivery went well.

“Words do so little for how much we love this little guy already,” he posted. “Mum and baby are both doing exceptionally well.”

He also confirmed that the name Hartley is in celebration of “the strength of the heart”, paying tribute to Maddi’s bravery throughout the pregnancy.

Olympic 50m freestyle champion Cam McEvoy and wife Maddi have welcomed their first child, Hartley James McEvoy, to the world.

In an interview with QWeekend earlier this year, McEvoy confirmed that Maddi’s resilience continues to inspire him in and out of the pool.

“Carrying a baby is a little bit more of a higher risk given her situation,” McEvoy said.

“I think of what I’ve been through in my swimming, and it pales in comparison to what Maddi has done. She still gets up every day very positive about where she’s going, always looking to help anyone around her. She’s just the most caring and beautiful soul that you could come across.”

McEvoy will spend time with his new family before ramping up preparations for his seventh World Championships campaign in Singapore, which begins on July 27. It will be a new men’s record for most appearances by a member of the Australian team.

Cameron McEvoy and his gold medal from the Paris Olympics. Picture: Getty Images

He has qualified for the 50m freestyle event where he will be looking to back up his historic gold medal from last year’s Paris Olympic Games. He came second in the event by 0.01s in the 2024 World Championships to Vladyslav Bukhov, but claimed gold at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka.

During the Australian Trials in June, McEvoy finished first in the final with a time of 21.30. It remains the world-leading time this year with America’s Jack Alexy his closest rival.

McEvoy also won’t be the only new father in the team by the end of the year, with Kyle Chalmers and his fiancée, Norwegian swimmer Ingeborg Løyning, expecting their first child after the World Championships.

Originally published as Australian Olympic 50m freestyle champion Cam McEvoy and wife Maddi welcome first baby